“There has been broad condemnation of the decision by the British public service broadcaster the BBC to refuse to show an appeal for humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza organised by the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) of aid charities. The corporation is the only terrestrial broadcaster in the United Kingdom to refuse to air the appeal, which aims to raise funds to provide emergency relief to the thousands of Palestinians facing a humanitarian catastrophe in the war-torn Gaza Strip…”

The BBC is clearly breaking its media charter here, again, by hiding the suffering of the indigenous Arab population in the Middle East in order to hide a brutal Israeli apartheid system and gulag from the wider public view. It’s a shameful institutional habit that is more suited for the monolithic 20th century, than in this century.

Protest demands BBC lift reporting blackout on Palestinian hunger strikers

Previously, 5 weeks ago, on 11th January we protested outside BBC Broadcasting House at the BBC’s refusal to cover the plight of Palestinian hunger strikers. We delivered a letter to the BBC asking for an explanation and a change in policy, the letter (reproduced below) also included a passionate message from Um Ra’fat, the mother of Palestinian hunger striker Samer Al-Issawi.

Appeal letter to the BBC:

After nearly 5 weeks we still did not received any reply from the BBC. Not only did they not replied, they did not even have the courtesy to sent us an acknowledgement of receipt of the letter. At the time the BBC had erected a barricade and checkpoint some 100 metres from its entrance especially to block us approaching the building and prevented us from entering the building to personally hand the letter to the Director General Tim Davie it had to be given to the Duty Facilities Manager of BBC Workplace who later confirmed to us via email that she had handed it to the Director Generals Office. A quick search on google also revealed the reporting blackout was still very much in place. So on 18th February we once again protested outside the BBC.

The action was part of the Palestinian Prisoners Campaign launched by Innovative Minds (inminds.com) and the Islamic Human Rights Commission (ihrc.org) which aims to raise awareness for the plight of Palestinian prisoners and build solidarity for their struggle and work towards their freedom.

The BBC journalists from the National Union of Journalists were on strike on 18th February over compulsory redundancies at the BBC, this gave us a great opportunity to talk to them on the picket line outside the BBC. It was decided that whilst the main protest as advertised was at 2pm in the afternoon, a few of us with our friends from “Haringey Justice For Palestinians” would visit the picket line early in the morning at 7am to talk directly with the picketers.

7am – Vigil outside BBC

When the two NUJ union officials, a man and a woman, arrived we approached them to give them a leaflet and explain why we were there. Unlike the picketers they were surprisingly cold to our approach. Initially they refused to even take our leaflet saying they weren’t allowed to. It took nearly 5 minutes of convincing before they finally took the leaflet.. only to fold it and put away without reading it! When asked about the reporting blackout the woman sidestepped the question saying she did not work in the news section so couldn’t comment, whilst the man refused to utter even one word during our whole encounter.

Having caught the BBC security off guard they tried but couldn’t prevent us from approaching the main entrance for some great photos next to the iconic BBC building logo and leafleting of BBC staff entering the building. The security told us that they were expecting us at 2pm, that we were “not meant to be here at this time”. It was also very interesting that the BBC security tried to separate us from the picketers demanding we stand away from them. We were not sure who directed them to go beyond their remit in this manner. We told them that if the picketers asked us to move we would respect their wishes but as it was we were all standing together, united against the cuts and the bias in the BBC. The security were not happy with this but were powerless to do anything.

Later we managed to speak to a couple of journalists from the BBC Arabic service. They told us, off record, that the BBC’s Arabic service, which is tasked with cultivating a following amongst the regions Arab population whilst having no impact on public opinion or politicians in the West and totally toothless to pressure Israel in any way what so ever, was [therefore] allowed to report on the subject of the Palestinian hunger strikers.

2pm Protest outside BBC

As we arrived for the 2pm protest the BBC security were waiting with a pen ready for us some 100 metres away from the entrance of broadcasting House on the other side of the street. Unlike last time when they had erected a security barrier with a checkpoint and only giving access to people with BBC IDs, this time there was no barrier because of the strike picket which needed free movement to the buildings entrance. We took advantage of this and ignored the pen, setting up near the picketers at the entrance of the building. The BBC security took exception to this, ordering us to move to the pens. We refused pointing out that the area has a public right of way, and their threats to call the police never materialised.

We had a fantastic turnout considering it was a working day. More impressive than the numbers was the diversity, so many different groups, a true cross section of the solidarity movement were represented. All united in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners. Apart from Innovative Minds and the Islamic Human Rights Commission, the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network, Victory to the Intifada, Jews For Justice For Palestinians, Red Card Israeli Apartheid Campaign among other groups were represented.

A portable PA system was set up for short speeches. Speaker after speaker condemned BBC policy of not reporting the plight of Palestinian hunger strikers.

IHRC chair Massoud Shadjareh told the BBC it mustn’t yield to zionist bullying, that it is paid for by our taxes and has a duty to report the news.

Malcolm from Victory to the Intifada group pointed to a history of bias at the BBC – in 2009 the BBC refused to broadcast a Gaza charity plea for aid made jointly by 13 British charities to help the stricken people of Gaza rebuild their homes after Israel’s vicious attack on Gaza.. and now they are refusing to report on the hunger strikers.

John, a Camden UNISON member, made the comparison with Ireland, its hunger strikers – 10 of whom gave their lives to the cause, and the BBC’s refusal at the time to broadcast the voices of Irish patriots.

Glyn from Jews for Justice for Palestinians pointed to an even bleaker future at the BBC with its recent appointment of James Purnell, former chair of Zionist lobby Labour Friends of Israel, to the BBC’s top strategy job. In his new post at the BBC, he will be in charge of the corporation’s policy, strategy, digital services, public affairs, communications, marketing and audience research – in other words, pretty much everything that matters in the BBC!

Michael from the Jewish Anti-Zionist Network asked the National Union of Journalists , who were out on strike that day, to pass a motion to boycott Israel.

The BBC were invited to come and address the protesters to explain their policy, an offer they ignored. The NUJ members on the picket line were also invited to address the protest to talk both about their strike and also the BBC’s refusal to report on Palestinian hunger strikers. Lucy Bailey, a producer at BBC Word Service, who was on the picket line did agree to take the mic. Lucy Bailey has previously made a documentary on human rights for white farmers in Zimbabwe and a series on pursuing justice under pressure and the role of judges in which she interviewed Judge Richard Goldstone so we were expecting passionate words about the human rights of Palestinian prisoners and the failure of the BBC to cover their plight. We were to be disappointed. In fairness she did speak out against the cuts at the BBC, she had our full support on that. But that was it – nothing on the Palestinian hunger strikers!

In between the speeches, pro-Palestinian music was played, helping create a great atmosphere to engage the public. “Hungry” by Doc Jazz written specially for the Palestinian hunger strikers was a particular hit with the crowd:

“I’m not asking u to break me out, cuz I’m alright. 
Can spend a hundred more years putting up this fight. 
All I want you to do, is speak out for the truth….

Read more and see photos at www.inminds.co.uk